that far and wide in the country round it is spoken of as
"haunted," though no one seems to know of any story, as to the
cause, except that, very improbable, about the murder of a
priest by the wife of a former proprietor. It appears that a
maid engaged in the village refused to sleep in the house,
because when in service here once before she had been frightened
by bangs at the door of her bedroom (in a room over No. 1); she
had also heard the sounds of a rustling silk dress on the
back-stairs, and had seen the bedroom door pushed open and a
lady come in.... A maid, who came after this one had left, told
the cook that she believed there was a story of a "priest
murdered somewhere at the Reformation"; she had once been told
it by Mrs. S---- in explanation of the noises, but had not heard
whether the said murder was in the house or the grounds, and
thought Mrs. S---- particularly did not wish the spot known.
This maid has only been an occasional help in the house, but has
lived for years in the district, and knows the place well by
reputation.

To-day as we passed through the churchyard, [a resident in the
neighbourhood] pointed out the desolate grave of the Major, with
the remark that one could hardly be surprised at a man being
said to "walk" who was expected to rest in such a place as that.
He said that there had been a great deal of talk all over the
neighbourhood as to the excitement during the H----s' stay at
B----, and seemed to believe that practical joking might account
in part for what had occurred. He did not, however, deny that
stories had been told long before their coming to the place.

This resident is the one as to whom the _Times_ correspondent